This invention relates generally to a warning means, and more specifically pertains to an electrically controlled safety mechanism for a highway exit ramp or other roadway, and useful for warning the wrong way driver that he is proceeding in the incorrect direction, and thereby obviates the occurrence of a head-on collision.
Numerous types of vehicle barriers have been provided in the prior art, and usually these barriers are of the type that are customarily employed in parking lots, for allowing egress or exit from the same, and in addition, some attention has been given to the application of a barrier upon the exit ramp from a highway, where the frequency of head-on collision has accelerated in recent years. An example of this type of prior art safety mechanism is shown in our previous United States patent, listed above, and in addition, various other types of methods and apparatuses for deterring wrong way drivers are shown in other earlier United States patents such as the U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,973, to Griebel. As can be seen therein, a traffic deflection means is positioned along the thoroughfare for the purpose of alerting the driver to his wrong way direction of travel, through the use of a detection means in the nature of a controller, usually provided alongside the roadway, at some predetermined distance ahead of the barrier member. Other forms of traffic controller systems are shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,782, to Der, wherein the warning means is triggered through the use of switches that are provided within the roadway surface. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,510, to Panaccione, discloses an automatically positionable gate assembly which pivots between raised and lowered positions, for the purpose of blocking the flow of traffic, when in the latter position, but principally for use as a traffic control. Various other types of railway crossing gates or controls are shown in the prior art, as in the U.S. Pat. No. 1,531,987, to Smith, and the previous U.S. Pat. No. 1,812,559, to Sampson.
An automatic release type of traffic control arm is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,687,588, to Nutter, as is a coin operated flush mounted vehicle barrier, of the type used adjacent parking lots, and as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,741,859, to Castle, et al. Other freeway safety devices are shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,103, to Schmidt, while the traffic control device utilizing mechanical means actuated within the roadway bed is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,389,677, to Dunne. And, a wrong-way traffic safety barrier is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,638, to Lafferty. Finally, an automatic railroad crossing gate is shown in the prior U.S. Pat. No. 1,914,359, to Butts.
While all of the various prior art traffic detecting and safety means are more than likely acceptable and useful for their intended purposes, the current invention, on the other hand, incorporates the mechanics of the type of barriers as shown in the prior art, but which has been substantially reduced in mechanical components, and which revised components are effectively operated from electrical control means that can sense the presence and direction of a vehicle travelling upon the roadway.
It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a combined mechanically operative and electrically controlled highway safety mechanism that can immediately and instantaneously detect the presence of a wrong-way driver, and instantaneously locate a barrier across the roadway, well ahead of the driver's movement, to alert him of his existing problem.
Another object of this invention is to provide a safety mechanism incorporating a warning or barrier member that remains triggered alongside the roadway in preparation for instantaneous usage, but which mechanism being electrically controlled can also sense the driver who is travelling in the correct direction, and therefore remain inactive from usage.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an electrically controlled safety mechanism which incorporates various forms of switches and triggering mechanisms that can inactivate the operations of the warning device in the event that it is encountered by a vehicle during its emplacement, or while the safety mechanism is being serviced by the mechanic.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a warning device that can stop cars moving in the proper direction from colliding into that vehicle inadvertently traveling in the wrong direction.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a safety mechanism for a highway exit ramp that can operate more than one semaphore or warning member along the length of the said roadway.
Another object of this invention is to provide a safety mechanism for the highway that in addition to operating a structured warning member, can also generate various sounds, ring bells, or flash lights as additional means for alerting all drivers upon said ramp that something is amiss.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide various types of timing means incorporated within the electrical controls for a safety mechanism, and which can inactivate those electrical controls that initiate the pivoting of a warning member so that a vehicle traveling in the right direction can be detected, and the electrical controls inactivated so as to prevent the pivot of the warning member into its operative disposition, but at the same time, in the event that a vehicle is detected traveling in the wrong direction, such controls deactivate and allow other primary electrical controls to initiate energization of the drive means that pivots the semaphore or warning member horizontally across the roadway and into a vehicle obstructing position.
Still another object of this invention is to provide cam means for adjusting the degree and angular limits to the pivot of the semaphore or warning member used in conjunction with a safety mechanism alongside the highway exit ramp.
A further object of this invention is to provide a safety mechanism that is of reduced mechanical components, contains electrical controls that can be mounted substantially upon a single circuit board, therefore reducing the entire mechanical and electrical components provided within the mechanism, and hence reducing the size of its package.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a safety mechanism that is of significantly reduced components and which expedites and facilitates its assembly and manufacture.
These and other objects will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the summary of this invention, and upon undertaking a study of the description of its preferred embodiment, in view of the drawings.